On November 6, 1869, Rutgers and nearby neighbor Princeton University competed in the first ever intercollegiate football game.[4] The site for the contest was a small plot of land where the
College Avenue currently stands on Rutgers' campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The structure of the game resembled more of a rugby-style contest instead of modern-day football, in which players were allowed to kick and bat the ball with their fists and hands. At the time, Rutgers was referred to as the Queensmen, a homage to the school's chartered name of Queen's College. The Rutgers squad was captained by William J. Leggett and donned scarlet kerchiefs atop their heads in an effort to distinguish between the two teams. Rutgers would go on to win the contest by a score of 6 goals to 4.[5]

A week after the first game was held in New Brunswick, Rutgers would visit Princeton for a second matchup. This time, Princeton prevailed by a score of 8 goals to 0. Rutgers and Princeton had planned for a third game in the 1869 season, but the contest never took place due to fears that the games were interfering with the students' studies. Thus, both schools would end the season with a record of 1-1.[5]

J. Wilder Tasker served as the head football coach of the Queensmen football program for seven seasons, from 1931 to 1937. Under his leadership, the Scarlet Knights compiled a record of 31–27–5. Tasker was replaced by Harvey Harman, who led the team from 1938 through the 1940s and into the 1950s (Rutgers did not field a football team from 1942 to 1946 due to World War II). Harman's record at Rutgers stands at 33–26–1 in a total of 14 seasons.[7] Succeeding Tasker was John Stiegman, who compiled a record of 22–15 in four seasons.[8]

Starting in 1940, the 'conference champion' received the Little Brass Cannon. Following Lehigh's capture of the Little Brass Cannon in 1951, Rutgers became an independent team in 1952, though it still played Lafayette and continued the Middle Three round-robin in 1953.[9]

John Bateman succeeded Stiegman and coached the Scarlet Knights for 13 seasons, compiling a record of 73–51.[10] Rutgers compiled records of 8–1 and 9–0 in 1960 and 1961, respectively, as well as an 8–2 campaign in 1968.[11][12][13]
Although Rutgers continued to be a part of the Middle Three until 1975, the Scarlet Knights became a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference from 1958 to 1961. The college won the conference championship in three of those four years (1958, 1960, and 1961) and was awarded the Wilmington Touchdown Club Trophy. The 1961 season was particularly remarkable as it was the Scarlet Knights' first undefeated season (9–0)—with Alabama, one of only two undefeated teams in the nation—and the team was captained by future college football hall-of-famer Alex Kroll.[14]

In 1961, Rutgers was considered a contender for the Rose Bowl, but was not selected because university president Mason Welch Gross did not express interest with the Rose Bowl's organizers.[15][16] The following year, Rutgers once again went independent, and remained so until it joined the Big East Conference in 1991.

Frank Burns was promoted from assistant coach after Bateman's departure, and under Burns' tutelage, the Scarlet Knights enjoyed eight consecutive winning seasons,[17] which included a 9–2 campaign in 1975[18] and a perfect 11–0 season in 1976,[19] which was followed by records of 8–3,[20] 9–3,[21] 8–3[22] and 7–4[23] seasons in the succeeding years. However, consecutive 5–6 campaigns in 1981 and 1982 and a 3–8 record in 1983 resulted in Burns' dismissal as head coach.[24][25][26][27]

In 1976, Rutgers declined an invitation to play an unranked McNeese State University at the inaugural Independence Bowl, feeling snubbed by more prestigious bowls despite its undefeated 11–0 season.[28] In 1978, Rutgers appeared in its first bowl game, the Garden State Bowl, which it lost to Arizona State 34–18.

Penn State offensive line coach Dick Anderson was hired to replace Burns in 1984.[29] The Scarlet Knights mostly struggled during Anderson's tenure as head coach despite winning records in 1984, 1986 and 1987,[30][31][32] which resulted in Anderson's firing after the completion of the 1989 season.[33]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Doug Graber took over the Rutgers football program starting in 1990.[34] Under Graber's tutelage, the Scarlet Knights achieved winning seasons in 1991 and 1992,[35][36] but struggled to maintain consistency and, following a 4–7 campaign in 1995, Graber was fired with two years remaining on his original seven-year contract.[37]

Rutgers joined the Big East Conference in all sports in 1991. The team struggled to compete throughout the 1990s, facing powerhouse teams from Virginia Tech, Miami, Syracuse and West Virginia on a yearly basis.

Longtime assistant coach Terry Shea was hired to replace Graber in December 1995,[38] However, the Rutgers program suffered its worst five-year stretch in program history.[39] Shea's tenure not only failed to produce a single winning season, it failed to win more than three games in a single season with the exception of a 5–6 campaign in 1998.[40][41] Shea was fired after the 2000 season.[39]

Coach Schiano interacting with a player during pre-game warmups in 2006

Greg Schiano took over as head coach after Shea's termination.[42] Despite some early recruiting successes, his first four years resulted in losing seasons.[43][44][45][46] However, in 2005, the team achieved its first winning season since Graber's 7-win, 4-loss campaign in 1992, notching a rematch bowl berth against Arizona State in the 2005 Insight Bowl.[47] In that game, Rutgers lost in a shootout 45–40 but was led by a 100-yard rushing performance from a young freshman running back named Ray Rice.[48]

In 2006, Rutgers began the season with nine straight wins, culminating in a momentous 25-point comeback victory against the 3rd-ranked Louisville Cardinals in what became known as the "Pandemonium In Piscataway" game, with kicker Jeremy Ito sealing the 28-25 win with a late field goal.[49] The following week, Rutgers rose to its highest rank ever in the polls, topping out at No. 7 in the AP Poll and No. 6 in the BCS. The Scarlet Knights achieved a record of 11–2 and a postseason rank of No. 12 in the AP Poll, including a postseason victory, beating Kansas State 37-10 in the Texas Bowl.[50][51]

The following year, Rutgers received its first ever preseason rank in the AP Poll at No. 16. 2007 was an up-and-down year for the Scarlet Knights, rising into the Top 10 for the second consecutive year, only to suffer back-to-back losses.[52] However, the season was highlighted by a 30-27 upset of 2nd-ranked South Florida, and ended with an 8-5 record and a 52-30 drubbing of Ball State in the International Bowl.[52][53]

2008 saw Rutgers again go 8-5,[54] beginning the year with a disappointing 1-5 start before ripping off seven straight victories to finish the season, winning the PapaJohn's.com Bowl 29-23 over NC State.[55]

In 2009, Rutgers entered the season the favorite to win the Big East Conference. However, the team opened the season with a loss to Cincinnati, who would end up with a perfect regular season and the conference title. Rutgers finished the season with a 9-4 record,[56] defeating UCF 45-24 in the St. Petersburg Bowl.[57]

Rutgers' streak of five consecutive bowl appearances ended in 2010, a year marred by a spinal cord injury suffered by defensive lineman Eric LeGrand in the sixth game of the season against Army.[58] Rutgers lost its final six games to finish with a record of 4-8.[59]

Kyle Flood was promoted from offensive line coach and took over as head coach after Schiano's departure.[62] He was the 29th head coach in Rutgers football history.

In 2012, Rutgers began the season 7-0, including a 35-26 defeat of Arkansas on the road in Fayetteville.[63] The team reached a No. 15 ranking in both the BCS and AP Polls, before a surprise homecoming loss to Kent State by a score of 35-23.[64] Rutgers would go on to finish the regular season 9-3,[65] including a heartbreaking 20-17 loss to Louisville in the last game of the season, in which the winner would clinch the conference's BCS Bowl berth.[66] Rutgers suffered yet another bowl loss in the Russell Athletic Bowl, dropping an overtime decision to former Big East foe Virginia Tech by a score of 13-10.[67]

In November 2012, Rutgers was announced as a formal expansion acquisition of the Big Ten Conference, alongside rival Maryland of the ACC.[68] Both Maryland and Rutgers were unanimously accepted to join the conference in all sports, effective July 1, 2014. Before this, however, Rutgers competed for one season in the American Athletic Conference, created from the remaining teams of the former Big East Conference.[69]

2014 marked Rutgers football's first official season of Big Ten play, with conference home games against Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana, as well as road games against Ohio State, Nebraska, Michigan State, and Maryland.[72] Rutgers finished the 2014 season in the Big Ten with a conference record of 3-5, including its first ever Big Ten Conference win over conference member Michigan, and an overall record of 7-5. Rutgers became bowl-eligible with that record and earned an invitation to play on December 26, 2014 in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl, where it trounced North Carolina 40-21 and capped off its inaugural Big Ten season at 8-5.[73] After the 2014 season, the Scarlet Knights were awarded their first ever Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy, being recognized as the top team in the eastern region.[74]

Looking to back up its strong showing in 2014 with another successful campaign in the Big Ten, the Scarlet Knights struggled mightily in 2015, beleaguered before the onset of the season by the arrest of multiple active players on assault-related charges.[75] During the season, the Scarlet Knights failed to gain traction, finishing 4-8 with a 1-7 Big Ten Record.

Amid the disappointment of a poor season and myriad off-the field issues, both head coach Kyle Flood and athletic director Julie Hermann were fired on November 29, 2015.[76]

On December 7, 2015, Rutgers officially announced Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash as the Scarlet Knights' new head football coach, becoming the 30th head coach in program history.[77] Rutgers posted a 2-10 record in Ash's first season, in the 2016 campaign.[78]

In 2017, Rutgers started their first 4 games with only 1 win against Morgan State by the score of 65-0. They won their second game of the season in Illinois, for their first Big Ten win in 2 years. Rutgers finished 4-8 overall in Chris Ash second season as head coach.

Rutgers has won three division titles. During their time in the Middle Atlantic Conferences, the conference established three leagues that were referred to as Divisions (University, Northern College, and Southern College), with no one true conference champion.[80]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it.(February 2018)

The Princeton–Rutgers rivalry is a college rivalry in athletics between the Tigers of Princeton University and Scarlet Knights of Rutgers University – New Brunswick, both of which are located in New Jersey

The rivalry dates back to the first college football game in history in 1869. Although the football series ended in 1980 due to the two schools going in different directions with their football programs.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it.(February 2018)

This rivalry stems from Navy and Rutgers being two of the only three programs (the third is Army) to come out of the original, informal "Ivy League" that are still members of the top tier of NCAA college football (currently Division I-FBS).[81] Although the two teams only began a regular series relatively recently in 1995, the games between the two schools are often close and sometimes have controversy as in the 2004 and 2007 editions of the series. The rivalry dates back to 1891, making the two schools each other's oldest active football rivals. The schools have met 25 times, with Rutgers leading the series at 13–11–1 all-time after the 2014 Navy loss. Navy and Rutgers have played most years since 1995, but do not have additional games scheduled at this time with Rutgers' move to the Big Ten and Navy's move from independents to the American Athletic Conference.

Traditional uniforms have featured red jerseys, white pants, and red helmets but the particular style has changed many times over the years. The helmets, in particular, have featured a wide range of logos. The Block R logo has seen various forms over the years but what fans now consider the "traditional" team logo debuted in 2001. Between 2012 and 2016, the uniform featured a distinctive chrome helmet with a rotation of red, black, and white jerseys that are based on the team's knight mascot. Rutgers returned to a more traditional uniform (red jerseys, white pants, and red helmets) in 2016 with the hiring of Coach Ash.

Black jerseys have been rarely used by the team. Although black pants were worn on a couple of occasions with white jerseys on the road, the black jerseys (with black pants) have only been used eight times, in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Rutgers has had many key contributing players in its 142-year history of college football. Dating back to the 1910s, the university has had several All-American candidates as well as a couple of once potential Heisman Trophy candidates in its storied history.

1910sPaul Robeson, born in Princeton, NJ played under future College Football Hall of Fame coach George Sanford. In his junior and senior years, playing as an end, Robeson was selected as an All-American in 1917 and 1918. After college, he played three years in the early NFL, first with the Akron Pros in 1921 and then the Milwaukee Badgers in 1922. Robeson himself was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1995.

1920sHomer Hazel first played for Rutgers in 1915, and then from 1923 to 1924. He was twice named an All-American, as an end in 1923 and a fullback in 1924. Hazel was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1951.

1950s
Bill Austin, a native of Fanwood, NJ was one of the first recognized players from Rutgers. Gifted with a twisting and elusive running style, Austin led the Scarlet Knights in rushing three straight seasons. Despite being undersized at 5'11 and 170 lbs, Austin rushed for 2,073 yards while ranking up 204 points in his career with Rutgers. His 32-touchdown career ranks second in the Rutgers annals among all-time scorers and he had 13 interceptions from his defensive back position, which is one short of the all-time mark.

Austin was inducted into the Rutgers Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and was recognized as an AP All-American in 1958. That year, Austin led the team to an 8–1 record, though the team could've gone 9-0 if Austin did not sit out the Quantico Marines game with an apparent hand injury. Austin was also considered[by whom?] a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, though the award was won by Pete Dawkins of Army that year. Austin went on to play for the Washington Redskins after being drafted in 1959.

1960s
By the 1960s, Alex Kroll came onto the scene as a formidable opponent. At 6'2 228 lbs playing center, Kroll played was enrolled at Yale for two seasons before serving in the Army. He later formed a bond with the football captains at Rutgers before deciding to transfer there. Kroll was extremely physical in the trenches, giving way to his spot as the captain of the team in 1961. In his senior year biography, "his performance and leadership in 1960 helped Rutgers to a season which surpassed even the most optimistic of the previews. He has size, speed, hustle, and an uncanny ability to call defenses best equipped to stop the enemy." Kroll was an excellent student in the classroom, played linebacker at times, and helped lead Rutgers to a 17–1 record in his time at Rutgers, earning him AP All-American center award in the undefeated season of 1961.

1970s
The 1970s featured several great players for the Scarlet Knights. From 1971 to 1973, running back JJ Jennings tore up the record books, ranking him third all time at Rutgers with 2,935 yards rushing. He also led the nation in scoring during the 1973 season, with Honorable Mention of the AP All-American team.

In the late 1970s, Rutgers football, led by coach Frank R. Burns, showed the nation its capabilities with an undefeated record in 1976 (11-0). That year included Rutgers star defensive tackle, Nate Toran, who finished his career with 52 sacks including 17 in 1976. Toran earned third team AP All-American that year and was joined by honorable mentions John Alexander, Jim Hughes, Henry Jenkins, and Mark Twitty.

1980s
An array of different players from the 1980s led Rutgers to match-ups against teams such as Penn State, Michigan State, Alabama, and more. During that time, Deron Cherry, a standout safety for Rutgers, was an honorable AP All-American in 1980, followed by his teammate quarterback Ed McMichael.

Other standouts included Jim Dumont Sr. and Tyronne Stowe, who holds the all-time record of 533 tackles. In the late 1980s, Scott Erney was an Honorable AP All-American mention, leading the team to key victories in 1988 over Michigan State and Penn State. Wide receiver Eric Young, who later went on to play baseball in the MLB, was another Honorable AP All-American mention.

1990s
The early 1990s brought in a great recruiting class for Rutgers football, featuring running backs Bruce Presley and Terrell Willis. Together they were known as "Thunder and Lightning," they racked up 5,889 yards combined earning Presley 2nd team Freshman All-American honors in 1992, and Willis 1st team Freshman All-American honors in 1993.

In 1994, tight end Marco Battaglia came onto the scene as a force. In his career "on the banks,"[82] Marco went from 27 catches, to 58, to 69 catches in 1995. With great size at 6'3", 245 lbs, he was drafted in the second round of the 1996 NFL draft.

2000s
Running back Ray Rice is a player who has stood out as a major icon in Rutgers Football. Recruited out of New Rochelle HS in New York, Rice beat out four other running backs his freshman year to earn a starting spot in 2005. He racked up 1,120 yards that season. In 2006, Rice finished second in the nation in rushing and was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, given to the best player in the country. By 2007, Rutgers University had set up a Heisman campaign for Rice. By the end of his career, Ray had amassed 4,926 yards on the ground and leads the Rutgers record book in almost every rushing category. He was 2nd team AP All-American two years in a row ('06-'07).

Wide receiver Kenny Britt, and defensive back Devin McCourty were also Honorable Mentions on the AP All-American team during their careers.

Quarterback Gary Nova recruited out of Don Bosco Prep HS in New Jersey, Nova holds several passing records at Rutgers, with 73 career touchdown passes, making him number one in that category in the programs history. Gary is also number two in passing yards with 9,258. He is also number one in attempts and number two in completions in his career at Rutgers.

July 30, 2013, Rutgers announced it will retire jersey number 52 of paralyzed former player Eric LeGrand. He was honored in a ceremony September 14, 2013, it was the first number ever retired for the football program.[83]

The Scarlet Knights have had 3 players drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. In 2010, Anthony Davis was selected 11th overall by the San Francisco 49ers, and Devin McCourty was chosen No. 27 overall by the New England Patriots. In 2009, Kenny Britt was chosen No. 30 overall by the Tennessee Titans. An Associated Press All-America selection, Britt became the first player in Rutgers history to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Ten Scarlet Knights have been drafted in the last three years. 2010 also marked the fourth consecutive year that a Scarlet Knight has been taken on the draft's first day after Brian Leonard (2007) and Ray Rice (2008) were both second-round draft selections. The 2012 NFL Draft saw wide receiver Mohamed Sanu drafted in the 3rd round to the Cincinnati Bengals, while the 2013 NFL Draft was the most productive in Rutgers history, with seven draft picks: Logan Ryan, Duron Harmon, Jawan Jamison, Steve Beauharnais, Khaseem Greene, DC Jefferson, and Marcus Cooper, Ryan, Harmon, Greene, and Cooper would go on to be productive rookies in the NFL the following season. In addition, ten other Rutgers players signed free agent contracts following the 2013 NFL Draft. The following year saw wide receiver Brandon Coleman and a number of other prominent players sign free agent deals as well, further bolstering the Rutgers presence in the NFL.

Rutgers has a contract with SportsNet New York to air various football-related programming during the season. Previous to its Big Ten membership (where its media rights are mainly a part of the Big Ten Network), this included games produced by ESPN Plus.

Football games air on the Rutgers Football Radio Network, which consists of three stations. The flagship is WOR in New York, a 50,000 watt clear channel station that is also the flagship for the university's men's basketball team. The other three stations in the network are WCTC, a low-power AM station that also carries Rutgers sports, WTMR, a Philadelphia area station, and WENJ, a South Jersey sports talk station. These games are produced by Nelligan Sports Marketing, a firm that finances college sports broadcasts throughout the nation.

Chris Carlin is the voice of Rutgers football, with Ray Lucas serving as his color analyst. Bruce Beck subs for Lucas when he isn't available. MSG Network reporter Anthony Fucilli works as the sideline reporter while WFAN radio host Marc Malusis is the studio host.

Inside Rutgers Football is the coach's show of Rutgers University's football team. The show, which debuted at the start of the 2001 season, is hosted by WNBC's Bruce Beck and features the Scarlet Knights' head football coach.[86]

1.
Maryland Terrapins football
–
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland, College Park in the sport of American football. The Terrapins compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Terrapins joined the Big Ten Conference on July 1,2014, following 62 years in the Atlantic Coast Conference as a founding member. The Terrapins are currently coached by D. J. Durkin. C, Maryland shares storied rivalries with Virginia and West Virginia. Maryland possesses the third-most ACC championships with nine, which places them behind Clemson, many former Terrapins players and coaches have gone on to careers in professional football including 16 first-round NFL Draft picks. In 1892, the then known as the Maryland Agricultural College fielded its first officially sanctioned college football team. They went scoreless in all three of that games, but the following year, posted a perfect record of 6–0. For the first two decades of the program, the team competed against local universities and high schools due to the prohibitive nature of long-distance travel at the time. Curley Byrd became head coach and held position for more than two decades until he was named the university president. In 1921, Maryland joined the Southern Conference where it remained for thirty years, Bryant resigned after one season when a player he had suspended was reinstated by President Byrd. Jim Tatum was hired in 1947, after a stint at Oklahoma where he had led the Sooners to a conference championship in his only season there. He was Marylands sixth head coach in eight years, but Tatum stayed for nine seasons, during his tenure, he led Maryland to two national championships, three conference championships, three perfect seasons, six top-20 final rankings, and five bowl game appearances. Seven of his players were named first-team All-Americans, including five consensus All-Americans, under Tatum, Maryland finished every season with a winning record. After the 1947 season, the Terrapins participated in their first bowl game, NCAA season-scoring leader Lu Gambino recorded all three Maryland touchdowns. In 1949, Maryland again played in the Gator Bowl, where they defeated 20th-ranked Missouri, the Terrapins finished the season ranked 14th by the Associated Press. Marylands current home field, Maryland Stadium, was constructed in 1950, Maryland started the 1950 season ranked 15th and defeated Navy, 35–21, in the Byrd Stadium dedication game. The Terrapins won the 1951 Southern Conference co-championship alongside the Virginia Military Institute and their perfect season culminated with an upset over first-ranked Tennessee in the 1952 Sugar Bowl. At the time, however, the wire services released their final rankings before the bowl games, several selectors, including analyst Jeff Sagarin, have retroactively credited Maryland with the national championship. In 1953, Maryland and six other schools split from the Southern Conference to form the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Terrapins were defeated by fourth-ranked Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl

2.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
–
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the athletic teams that represent Rutgers Universitys New Brunswick campus. The athletic programs compete under the name Scarlet Knights, after the Rutgers University mascot which was chosen in 1955 by the student body. The Rutgers campuses in Newark and Camden also participate in intercollegiate competition — under the names Scarlet Raiders and Scarlet Raptors, though invited, Harvard chose not to attend. In the early years of athletics, the circle of schools that participated in these athletic events were located solely in the American Northeast. However, by the turn of the century, colleges and universities across the United States began to participate, the first intercollegiate athletic event at Rutgers was a baseball game on May 2,1866 against Princeton in which they suffered a 40-2 loss. Rutgers won the game, with a score of 6 runs to Princetons 4, according to Parke H. Davis, the 1869 Rutgers football team shared the national title with Princeton. For much of its history starting in 1866, Rutgers remained unaffiliated with any formal athletic conference and was classified as independent. From 1946 to 1951, the university was a member of the Middle Three Conference, along with Lafayette, Rutgers considered petitioning to join the Ivy League at the formation of that conference in 1954. From 1958 to 1961, Rutgers was a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference, from 1976 to 1995, Rutgers was a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference for most sports while being an Eastern Independent in football. Rutgers remained independent until 1991 when it joined the Big East Conference for football, all sports programs at Rutgers subsequently became affiliated with the Big East in 1995. On July 1,2014 Rutgers became a member of the Big Ten athletic conference, while in the Big East, the Scarlet Knights won four conference tournament titles, mens soccer, baseball, and womens basketball. Several other teams have won regular season titles but failed to win the championship tournament. Recently, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team has achieved success on the gridiron after several years of losing seasons and they were invited to the Insight Bowl on December 27,2005 but lost 45 to 40 against Arizona State. This was Rutgers first bowl appearance since December 16,1978 loss against Arizona State,34 to 18, at the Garden State Bowl, which was the first bowl game in which Rutgers was a participant. In 2006, the Scarlet Knights were invited to the inaugural Texas Bowl, in Houston, on January 5,2008 Rutgers faced Ball State in the International Bowl held in Toronto, for their third straight bowl game for the first time in the programs history. On December 19,2009, the Scarlet Knights won their fourth bowl game by defeating the University of Central Florida 45-28 in the St. Petersburg Bowl. On December 20,2011, Rutgers faced Iowa State in the Pinstripe Bowl, on December 28,2013, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights faced the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Rutgers Universitys school color is scarlet, initially, students sought to make orange the school color, citing Rutgers Dutch heritage and in reference to the Prince of Orange

3.
High Point Solutions Stadium
–
High Point Solutions Stadium is the football stadium at Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey. It is located on the Busch Campus at Rutgers, and overlooks the Raritan River to the South, the stadium was opened as Rutgers Stadium on September 3,1994, when the Rutgers Scarlet Knights hosted the Kent State University Golden Flashes. It currently seats 52,454 spectators after a 2009 expansion, High Point Solutions Stadium underwent significant reconstruction from 2008 to 2009 to increase its capacity to 52,454. The stadium features two 5, 000-seat upper decks on each side of the field, as well as 968 loge. A two-story press box sits on the level of the West side of the stadium. Also located in the South end zone is the Brown Football Recruiting Pavilion and Welcome Center, the stadium also features light stanchions that allow for night games, a cannon for firing when Rutgers scores, concessions, and restrooms. Until 2004, the field maintained a grass surface, but has since replaced with Field Turf. From 1891 to 1938, the Rutgers football team played at Neilson Field on the College Avenue Campus in New Brunswick, with the aid of grants from the Works Progress Administration, and after three years of construction, the original Rutgers Stadium was completed in 1938. The first game in the new stadium was against Hampden-Sydney in front of a crowd of about 10,000 persons. Rutgers was victorious in the contest, defeating Hampden-Sydney 32–0, the stadium was dedicated on November 5,1938 in a game against Princeton. Rutgers would go on to win the game 20-18 and it was the first time Rutgers had defeated Princeton since the first ever intercollegiate football game in 1869. On September 27,1969, Rutgers and Princeton met for The Centennial Game at old Rutgers Stadium, Rutgers would win 29-0, their 10th win in 60 tries against the Tigers. The current stadium was built on the site of the original old Rutgers Stadium, the NJSEA financed the construction of the stadium via the issuance of bonds. The Scarlet Knights had previously played games at Giants Stadium, including the first college football game hosted at that venue. The new Rutgers Stadium was originally constructed to accommodate 41,500 fans at its capacity and was officially opened on September 3,1994. Light stanchions were integrated into the design so night games could be played, a two-story press box that fits 200 reporters was also constructed and is still in use today. A free-standing scoreboard was built near the end zone, which did not originally contain any seating areas. The original design of the stadium replicated the shape of a horseshoe, the Scarlet Knights were ranked #15 and the Louisville Cardinals #3 in the nation in the Associated Press poll at the time

4.
Princeton University
–
Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The institution moved to Newark in 1747, then to the current site nine years later, Princeton provides undergraduate and graduate instruction in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. The university has ties with the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton has the largest endowment per student in the United States. The university has graduated many notable alumni, two U. S. Presidents,12 U. S. Supreme Court Justices, and numerous living billionaires and foreign heads of state are all counted among Princetons alumni body. New Light Presbyterians founded the College of New Jersey in 1746 in order to train ministers, the college was the educational and religious capital of Scots-Irish America. In 1754, trustees of the College of New Jersey suggested that, in recognition of Governors interest, gov. Jonathan Belcher replied, What a name that would be. In 1756, the moved to Princeton, New Jersey. Its home in Princeton was Nassau Hall, named for the royal House of Orange-Nassau of William III of England, following the untimely deaths of Princetons first five presidents, John Witherspoon became president in 1768 and remained in that office until his death in 1794. During his presidency, Witherspoon shifted the focus from training ministers to preparing a new generation for leadership in the new American nation. To this end, he tightened academic standards and solicited investment in the college, in 1812, the eighth president the College of New Jersey, Ashbel Green, helped establish the Princeton Theological Seminary next door. The plan to extend the theological curriculum met with approval on the part of the authorities at the College of New Jersey. Today, Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary maintain separate institutions with ties that include such as cross-registration. Before the construction of Stanhope Hall in 1803, Nassau Hall was the sole building. The cornerstone of the building was laid on September 17,1754, during the summer of 1783, the Continental Congress met in Nassau Hall, making Princeton the countrys capital for four months. The class of 1879 donated twin lion sculptures that flanked the entrance until 1911, Nassau Halls bell rang after the halls construction, however, the fire of 1802 melted it. The bell was then recast and melted again in the fire of 1855, James McCosh took office as the colleges president in 1868 and lifted the institution out of a low period that had been brought about by the American Civil War. McCosh Hall is named in his honor, in 1879, the first thesis for a Doctor of Philosophy Ph. D. was submitted by James F. Williamson, Class of 1877. In 1896, the officially changed its name from the College of New Jersey to Princeton University to honor the town in which it resides

5.
New Brunswick, New Jersey
–
The City of New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is the county seat of Middlesex County, and the home of Rutgers University, the city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line,27 miles southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. The corporate headquarters and production facilities of several global companies are situated in the city, including Johnson & Johnson. New Brunswick is noted for its ethnic diversity, at one time, one quarter of the Hungarian population of New Jersey resided in the city and in the 1930s one out of three city residents was Hungarian. The Hungarian community continues to exist, alongside growing Asian and Hispanic communities that have developed around French Street near Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and it was first inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans. The first European settlement at the site of New Brunswick was made in 1681, the settlement here was called Prigmores Swamp, then known as Inians Ferry. In 1714, the settlement was given the name New Brunswick, after the city of Braunschweig, in state of Lower Saxony, in Germany. Braunschweig was an influential and powerful city in the Hanseatic League, later in the Holy Roman Empire, and was an administrative seat for the Duchy of Hanover. Shortly after the first settlement of New Brunswick in colonial New Jersey, George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, alternatively, the city gets its name from King George II of Great Britain, the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. New Brunswick was incorporated as a town in 1736 and chartered as a city in 1784 and it was incorporated into a town in 1798 as part of the Township Act of 1798. It was occupied by the British in the winter of 1776–1777 during the Revolutionary War. The Declaration of Independence received one of its first public readings, by Col. John Neilson, in New Brunswick on July 9,1776, in the days following its promulgation by the Continental Congress. The Trustees of Queens College, founded in 1766, voted to locate the college in New Brunswick, selecting the city over Hackensack, in Bergen County. Classes began in 1771 with one instructor, one sophomore, Matthew Leydt, classes were held through the American Revolution in various taverns and boarding houses, and at a building known as College Hall on George Street, until Old Queens was erected in 1808. It remains the oldest building on the Rutgers University campus, the Queens College Grammar School was established also in 1766, and shared facilities with the College until 1830, when it located in a building across College Avenue from Old Queens. The New Brunswick Theological Seminary, founded in 1784 in New York, moved to New Brunswick in 1810, New Brunswick was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on September 1,1784. The existence of an African American community dates back to the late 18th century, the citys Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, located at 39 Morris Street, was originally established in 1825 at 25 Division Street, making it one of the oldest in New Jersey. New Brunswick began attracting a Hungarian immigrant population around the turn of the 20th century, hungarians were primarily attracted to the city by employment at Johnson & Johnson factories located in the city

6.
Lafayette Leopards football
–
The Lafayette Leopards football program represents Lafayette College in college football. One of the oldest college football programs in the United States, Fielding their first team in 1882, Lafayette has won three college football national championships, seven Patriot League championships, six undefeated seasons and four undefeated, untied seasons. For most of its history, Lafayette played an independent schedule until joining the Patriot League in 1986, between 1929 and 1975, the Leopards were a part of an unofficial conference, the “Middle Three Conference, ” which consisted of Rutgers University and Lehigh University. Today, Lafayette is most noted for its fierce arch-rivalry with Lehigh, which is the most played rivalry in college football and the most consecutive years played. ESPN considers The Rivalry to be among the top ten in college football, aside from Lehigh and Rutgers, Lafayette’s primary rivals are Bucknell University and the University of Pennsylvania. Lafayette has produced four consensus All-Americans,11 FCS All-Americans, four College Football Hall of Fame players, Lafayette is also credited with inventing the huddle during a game in which Pennsylvania was stealing hand signals. Lafayettes nickname is the Leopards, dating from October 21,1924, in its early history, the students, alumni, and press referred to the team as the Maroon. The Leopards are still referred to as the Maroon or the Maroon. Currently, Lafayette has 650 wins, 33rd all-time in Division I, rugby football was first introduced on College Hill in the fall of 1880 by Theodore H. Welles. A member of the class of 1884, Welles brought football to Easton after learning the new game at Wilkes Barre Academy and Princeton University, H. R. Craven, who played and learned the sport at the Lawrenceville School, served as the first team captain. Early football at Lafayette was not organized, in 1880 and 1881, students competed against each other on campus. However, in the fall of 1882, Lafayette traveled to Rutgers to partake in its first intercollegiate football contest, on November 7,1882, Lafayette fell to Rutgers 0-0/8-3. One week later, Lafayette lost its second game ever against the University of Pennsylvania 0-0/1-3, although official records reflect only two games being played in 1882, Welles mentions playing Swarthmore College and the Stevens Institute of Technology on College Hill, winning both contests. With one season of football experience, Lafayette won its first game ever in 1883. After dropping its first three games to Princeton, Pennsylvania, and Stevens, Lafayette broke through against Rutgers on November 10, with four inches of slushy snow covering the Quad, Lafayette avenged the previous years defeat 25–0 with four touchdowns despite a water-logged ball. The first game of the 1884 brought a new team to Lafayettes schedule, located in nearby Bethlehem, Lehigh would be playing its first football game. With experience and superior skill on its side, Lafayette annihilated Lehigh 56–0 in what would become known as The Rivalry. Due to the proximity of the schools, Lafayette played a Lehigh as their last opponent in 1884, true animosity soon developed between both teams

7.
Lehigh University
–
Lehigh University is an American private research university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer and has grown to include studies in a variety of disciplines. Its undergraduate programs have been coeducational since the 1971–72 academic year, as of 2014, the university had 4,904 undergraduate students and 2,165 graduate students. Lehigh is considered one of the twenty-four Hidden Ivies in the Northeastern United States, Lehigh has four colleges, the P. C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Economics, the College of Arts and Sciences is the largest college today, home to roughly 40% of the universitys students. Asa Packer named his university Lehigh after his passion, the railroad. It was founded to provide an education for young men, combining a liberal. Mr. Packer also provided for the first structure ever to be built by the young University on campus, Packer Hall, now known also as the University Center. An unusual Mansard Gothic edifice featuring a prominent bell tower, at which, upon a suggestion that it be composed of the less expensive brick, in the construction, a branch of the railroad was diverted to bring stone to the site. From 1871 to 1891, Packers endowment allowed the institution to offer its education free of charge by competitive exam, in 1879, Lehigh became the wealthiest institution of higher learning in the country, surpassing Harvard and Yale. This, plus its blend of engineering and liberal arts, attracted some of the nations brightest students, many of whom went on to distinguished careers in industry and engineering. The formation of a College for engineering, or technical university, was quite a difficult project, as the entire subject of engineering education was obscure. A small number of colleges had commenced this, such as Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey and Harvard, Yale, the University of Pennsylvania opened a small school in 1852, for mining and materials, but which had closed at the onset of the Civil War. As W. Ross Yates notes, No one knew with certainty how many years a course in engineering should take, the relationship between theory and practice was hazy. A statement made later by industrialist and Lehigh Trustee Eckley B. Coxe summarizes the problem succinctly, Not knowing exactly what you want to do or the material you have to do it with, initially there were five schools, four scientific and one of general literature. The latter would shortly evolve into Courses in Arts and Science, as it was known then, Engineering curricula were both merged and expanded. During this period of time, the first Latino student organization at a college or university in the United States, was founded at Lehigh, the Club Hispano Americano was established by international Latin American students that attended the university in 1887

8.
McNeese State University
–
McNeese State University is a public regional university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the United States. Founded in 1939 as Lake Charles Junior College, it was renamed McNeese Junior College after John McNeese, the present name was adopted in 1970. McNeese is part of the University of Louisiana System and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a Masters University, U. S. News and World Report designates McNeese as a Tier One South Regional University. The selective admissions university consists of six colleges and the Doré School of Graduate Studies, McNeese is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and all programs of study are accredited by their respective national boards. McNeese State University was founded in 1939 as a division of Louisiana State University and was originally called Lake Charles Junior College and it offered only the first two years of higher education. McNeese opened its doors on an 86-acre tract donated by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, there were two original buildings, the former Administration Building and the McNeese Arena. The auditorium, now Francis G. Bulber Auditorium, was completed in 1940 as the building on the campus. These three buildings are still in use today, the name became John McNeese Junior College in 1940 by resolution of the University Board of Supervisors in honor of Imperial Calcasieu Parishs first superintendent of schools. In 1950, the became an autonomous four-year institution as McNeese State College. The bill was advanced by State Senator Gilbert Franklin Hennigan of DeRidder in neighboring Beauregard Parish and it was separated from Louisiana State University and renamed McNeese State College. Its administration was transferred to the Louisiana State Board of Education, in 1960, legislators authorized McNeese to offer curricula leading to the masters degree, in 1966, the degree of Educational Specialist was first offered. In 1970, its changed to McNeese State University. McNeese was first accredited in 1954 by the Southern Association of Colleges, Dr. Joseph T. Farrar Dr. William B. Hatcher Dr. Rodney Cline Dr. Lether Edward Frazar Retired in 1955, Dr. Wayne N. Cusic Retired in 1969. Dr. Thomas S. Leary Resigned from presidency, Dr. Jack Doland Resigned in order to run for state office. Dr. Robert Hébert Dr. Philip C. Williams The main campus occupies 121 acres lined with oak trees in the heart of south Lake Charles, the main campus includes 68 main buildings. A renovation of the quadrangle was completed to relieve the flooding that plagued students during rainy days. The Southwest Louisiana Entrepreneurial and Economic Development Center is under construction on the university campus to allow local business leaders, a commemorative statue of John McNeese has recently been placed near Smith Hall, and new decorative signs have been built on each corner of the main campus

9.
Penn State Nittany Lions football
–
The Penn State Nittany Lions team represents the Pennsylvania State University in college football. The team is also #8 all-time in total-wins, one game behind Oklahoma and Alabama, the Nittany Lions play their home games at Beaver Stadium, located on-campus in University Park, Pennsylvania. With an official seating capacity of 106,572, Beaver Stadium is the second-largest stadium in the hemisphere, behind only Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. The team is coached by James Franklin. The first recorded game occurred on November 12,1881, when Penn State traveled to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania to play Bucknell, Penn State won 9–0, which was nine goals to none. At the time, this was really a game of American rugby, the father of American football, Walter Camp, did not develop the scrimmage, the first down and the gridiron until 1882. Although this game was reported in two State College newspapers and the Mirror, Bucknell denies that this ever happened. Penn State did not field teams from 1882 through 1886, Penn State played its first season in 1887, but had no head coach for their first five years, from 1887–1891. The teams played its games on the Old Main lawn on campus in State College. They compiled a 12–8–1 record in these seasons, playing as an independent from 1887–1890, in 1891, the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Football Association was formed. It consisted of Bucknell, Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Haverford, Penn State, lafayette and Lehigh were excluded because it was felt they would dominate the Association. Penn State won the championship with a 4–1–0 record, the Association was dissolved prior to the 1892 season. George W. Hoskins was the first head coach at Penn State. He posted a 17–4–4 record in his four seasons from 1892–1895 as head coach and his first team played its home game on the Old Main lawn on campus in State College, Pennsylvania, before the 500-seat Beaver Field opened in 1893. He was succeeded by Samuel B, newton, who posted a 12–14 record in three seasons, 1896–1898. Sam Boyle coached for one year in 1899 and compiled a 4–6–1 record. Pop Golden coached the Nittany Lions for three seasons from 1900–1902, tallying a record of 16–12–1, daniel A. Reed took over for the 1903 season and went 5–3. Tom Fennell coached the Nittany Lions for five seasons from 1904–1908, in 1907 the school adopted the Nittany Lion mascot, a mountain lion named after nearby Mount Nittany

10.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
–
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers currently compete in the National Football League as a team of the National Football Conference South division. Along with the Seattle Seahawks, the joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team. After the season, the club switched conferences with the Seahawks, during the 2002 league realignment, the Bucs joined three former NFC West teams to form the NFC South. The club is owned by the Glazer family, and plays its games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. They are also the first team since the merger to complete a season when starting 10 or more rookies. In 1976 and 1977, the Buccaneers lost their first 26 games, after a brief winning era in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the team suffered through 14 consecutive losing seasons. Over the course of 41 seasons, the Buccaneers have compiled an record of 256–402–1, with a regular-season record of 250–393–1. Unlike in the case of Green Bay, Wisconsin, there is no municipality known as Tampa Bay. The Tampa Bay in the names of local professional sports franchises, such as the Buccaneers, Rowdies, Rays, Lightning and Storm, denotes that they represent the entire region, the Tampa Bay expansion franchise was originally awarded to Tom McCloskey, a construction company owner from Philadelphia. McCloskey soon entered a dispute with the NFL, so the league found a replacement in Hugh Culverhouse. A name-the-team contest resulted in the nickname Buccaneers, a reference to the legends of Southwest Florida. They were one of the few teams to wear white home uniforms, the teams first home was Tampa Stadium, which had recently been expanded to seat just over 72,500 fans. Steve Spurrier was the quarterback for Tampa Bay during their expansion season, the Buccaneers joined the NFL as members of the AFC West in 1976. The following year, they were moved to the NFC Central, while the other 1976 expansion team, the Seattle Seahawks, switched conferences with Tampa Bay and joined the AFC West. This realignment was dictated by the league as part of the 1976 expansion plan, instead of a traditional schedule of playing each division opponent twice, the Buccaneers played every conference team once, plus the Seahawks. Tampa Bay did not win their first game until the 13th week of their second season, until the Detroit Lions in 2008, the 1976 Bucs held the dubious title as the worst team in NFL history. Their losing streak caused them to become the butt of late-night television comedians jokes and their first win came in December 1977, on the road against the New Orleans Saints

11.
Virginia Tech Hokies football
–
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team, represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the sport of American football. The Hokies compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and they previously competed in the Big East. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium, located in Blacksburg, Lane Stadium is considered to be one of the loudest stadiums in the country, being voted number one in ESPNs Top 20 Scariest Places to Play. Also, it was recognized in 2005 by Rivals. com as having the best home-field advantage in the country and it is currently the 31st largest stadium in college football. In 124 seasons, the Hokies have won over 700 games and appeared in 30 bowl games, with 24 consecutive bowl appearances, beginning in 1993, the Hokies currently have the longest bowl game streak in the country recognized by the NCAA. The program has claimed ten conference titles and produced eight All-Americans. Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College first played football on October 21,1892 against St. Albans Lutheran Boys School, the game took place on a plowed off wheat field that was about as level as a side of Brush Mountain. The Hokies won their first game 14–10, but were defeated 10–0 eight days later on a trip to Radford. The 1899,1901, and 1903 teams lost only to rival Virginia, star player Hunter Carpenter returned to Virginia Tech in 1905, after a year at the University of North Carolina, for a last shot at beating Virginia. Carpenter helped lead VPI to a 9–1 record, the best in history up to that time. He was never named to the All-America team only because Walter Camp, the 1909 team claim a southern championship. This is the first season the team was referred to in print as the Gobblers, at the end of the 1911 season, VPI joined the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association. They won the conference in 1916 and 1918, after 1921, the SAIAA was dissolved and six of its schools became founding members of the Southern Conference. From 1925 to 1928, Tech was led by Frank Peake and he was joined by Scotty MacArthur, Herbert Mac McEver and Tommy Tomko. In 1927, during a 6 to 0 upset of the Colgate Red Raiders in New York, Peake ran for nearly 200 yards, during one three-game stretch, he accumulated rushing and return yardage of 306,314 and 353 yards. He was credited with gaining 1,761 yards in eight games,930 were from scrimmage, and 831 on punts and kickoffs. In 1928 the game against Virginia he came off the sideline with a hip to return a punt for a touchdown. In 1932, Tech upset Georgia 7–6, Bill Grinus blocked the tying extra point

12.
Miami Hurricanes football
–
The Miami Hurricanes football team represents the University of Miami in the sport of American football. The Hurricanes compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association s Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, the program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships. Miami is ranked fourth on the list of All-time Associated Press National Poll Championships, tied with Southern California and Ohio State and behind Alabama, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma. Miami also holds a number of NFL Draft records, including most first round selections in a single draft, two Hurricanes have won the Heisman Trophy and nine have been inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame. The team plays its games at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The Hurricanes are currently coached by Mark Richt, UM began with just a freshman football team in 1926. Its first game was played on October 23,1926, a 7–0 win over Rollins College before 304 fans, under the guidance of head coach Howard P. Buck, the freshman team posted a perfect 8–0 record in its inaugural season. Two of the wins were against the University of Havana, one on Thanksgiving Day in Miami, Miamis last home game at of the season featured a first, the first Hurricane football game played on New Years Day against Howard at Miamis University Stadium. Varsity competition began in 1927, with Miami beating Rollins 39–3 in its first game and going on to a 3–6–1 record. The team improved to 4–4–1 in 1928, but it was not enough for Buck to keep his job, rixs arrival was funded by a group of local businessmen. That off-season, the program, which competed as an independent during its first two years of existence, joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association,1929 saw Miami play its first varsity road game, and Rix led the team to its first winning season, going 3–2. His tenure, however, was short-lived, off-campus financing for the dried up in the wake of the 1929 stock market crash. Ernest Brett replaced Rix, and in 1930, Miami played Temple in its first game outside the South, losing 34–0 to the Owls in Atlantic City, New Jersey. On October 31,1930, the Hurricanes played in one of the nations first night games vs. Bowden College in Miami, Brett only lasted one year, and Tom McCann became the programs fourth head coach in 1931. Under McCann, the program experienced its most successful seasons to that point. After a difficult first year, Miami put together a record in 1932 and served as host to the inaugural Palm Festival. A 5–1–2 campaign and another Palm Festival berth followed in 1933, and in 1934, in 1935, a group of Miami football supporters sought to hire Red Grange as coach. However, the move was vetoed by President Bowman Foster Ashe, instead Irl Tubbs took over as head coach in 1935, and though Miami compiled an 11–5–2 record in his two seasons, it did not play in a bowl in either year

High Point Solutions Stadium is the football stadium at Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey. It is located on …

Image: RU Football Stadium

The exterior of the stadium's expansion seen from River Road, under construction on September 26, 2009.

The newly expanded South End zone at Rutgers Stadium, pictured after the 2010 spring game. Note the Brown Football Recruiting Pavilion and Welcome Center located in the center of the seating area, as well as the brand new scoreboard.

Lafayette holds Penn on defense in the 1896 "National Championship game" at Franklin Field on October 24. Lafayette won in a 6–4 upset, the only loss for Penn in a 66-game stretch. Two Lafayette players are wearing the first football helmet, one of them being inventor George "Rose" Barclay.

Jock Sutherland coached Lafayette from 1919–1923. He is considered one of the greatest coaches of all-time and was 33–8–2 on College Hill. He ranks fourth in Lafayette winning percentage.

Lafayette upset Army 19–0 at West Point and was compared to Notre Dame the following week en route to an undefeated season. It is Lafayette's only win against Army.

Former football head coach Greg Robinson "chases" the last of his players onto the field before the kickoff of his inaugural 2005 season. It was also the first game played on the Carrier Dome's new FieldTurf.